Indosat Drives Female Indonesian Startups into Southeast Asian Markets through SheHacks

Manokwari, TP – Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison (Indosat or IOH) has officially brought five top female-led startups from its SheHacks programme to Vietnam as part of a Global Market Benchmarking Trip initiative on Sunday, 9 March.

This strategic move aims to expand access to Southeast Asian markets and strengthen the competitive edge of artificial intelligence (AI)-driven innovations developed by Indonesian female talent on the global stage.

SheHacks brought the Top 5 MVP Accelerator 2025 winners, representing priority digital sectors in Indonesia: DoctorTool, which provides an AI-based digital ecosystem for healthcare facilities, medical professionals and patients; Hear Me, an inclusive communication solution using technology for the Deaf community; Serenic.ai, which offers clinical AI for hospital administrative automation including claims optimisation and medical records documentation based on doctor-patient conversations; Katalis AI, a digital marketing solution combining AI and data analytics; and Lunar Interactive, which implements gamification systems for foreign language speaking skills learning.

The founders undertook a series of structured activities designed to open investment opportunities, market collaboration, and business insight exchanges, as well as mentoring from Vietnamese practitioners to strengthen each startup’s capacity in product development and building more sustainable business models.

Reski Damayanti, Chief Legal & Regulatory Officer of IOH, stated that the programme was designed to present genuine opportunities for Indonesian women in the global digital economy, reflecting Indosat’s commitment to empowering Indonesia inclusively. With women playing an important role in national development, SheHacks expands its impact from Indonesia to Southeast Asia through cross-border collaboration, institutional network strengthening, and investor access. “We want female founders to build strong connections with the global digital ecosystem, access funding opportunities, and transform their innovations into solutions with genuine impact for society,” Damayanti said.

According to Damayanti, the visit marked a significant achievement further confirming SheHacks’ ability to build an innovation bridge between Indonesia and Vietnam. The activities included 51 business matching sessions, intensive mentoring from AI, business strategy, legal and economics experts, community building, collaboration discussions with government innovation institutions, and featured events with investors and ecosystem enablers.

The trip also opened strategic connections with six investors, six government agencies, and nine potential partners in Vietnam’s ecosystem—a strong foundation for sustainable cross-border collaboration. These collaborations involved important institutions including the Department of Science & Technology (DOST), Startup & Innovation Hub (SIHUB), HCMC Innovation Department, Business Startup Support Centre (BSSC), and Investment & Trade Promotion Center (ITPC).

The involvement of these government institutions paved the way for soft-landing and market access for Indonesian startups in Vietnam. The entire programme demonstrated that SheHacks is not merely an innovation incubator but a cross-border women’s empowerment platform capable of building concrete global connections.

The founders gained opportunities to understand Vietnamese regulations, evaluate expansion potential, and adapt business models for the Southeast Asian market. Featured events with Do Ventures and DMZ Ventures provided an important platform for them to present innovations, engage with investors, and expand cross-border exposure credibly.

The visit confirmed that Indonesian female-led startups have high competitive potential and are capable of entering international markets with appropriate ecosystem support. Indosat reiterated its commitment through this effort as an important foundation for expanding SheHacks’ activities across the Asia region.

This Vietnam initiative will also serve as a model for collaboration in other Asian countries, driving the formation of a more inclusive, resilient and competitive women’s innovation ecosystem, Damayanti concluded.